Origin
Waterford, WI
Morning in Waterford on Sunday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterford, WI to West Allis, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
23.9 mi
39 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterford, WI
Tom Fisk
West Allis, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Waterford, WI to West Allis, WI covers 23.9 miles and takes about 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Highway 36, Loomis Road, South Lovers Lane Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.5 miles on State Highway 36. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.74 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 36 | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Loomis Road | 6 mi | 8m |
| South Lovers Lane Road | 4.4 mi | 8m |
| Zoo Freeway | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| West Greenfield Avenue | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| US 45 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Rock Freeway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 36
— 6.5 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterford, WI and West Allis, WI.
1
Start on South River Street
52 ft
·
4 sec
·
South River Street
2
Turn right onto WI 20; WI 83
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto WI 36
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
State Highway 36
4
Continue on WI 36
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Loomis Road
5
Continue on US 45
448 ft
·
19 sec
·
US 45
6
Turn left onto US 45; WI 100
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
West Saint Martins Road
7
Continue on US 45; WI 100
4.4 mi
·
8 min
·
South Lovers Lane Road
8
Take the ramp onto US 45
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 45
Toward I 43 North, US 45 North
9
Merge onto I 43; US 45
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Rock Freeway
10
Take the exit onto US 45
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 45
Exit 61
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
11
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Zoo Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 1D
Toward WI 59: Greenfield Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto WI 59
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West Greenfield Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
WI 59
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 22.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WI 20; WI 83 / West Main Street
Turn right onto WI 20; WI 83 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
13.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
US 45; WI 100 / West Saint Martins Road
Turn left onto US 45; WI 100 / West Saint Martins Road
Navigation decision point
4
17.9 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
US 45
Take the ramp onto US 45 toward I 43 North, US 45 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 43 North, US 45 North
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
US 45
Take the exit onto US 45 toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 61
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fon...
7
22.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward WI 59: Greenfield Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1D
Toward WI 59: Greenfield Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.74 one way
$7.47 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.10 | $8.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.60 | $9.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.28 | $10.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.51 | $1.15 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.09 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
West Allis, WI
Morning in West Allis on Sunday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
39m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
23.9 mi in 39m — 45% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: State Highway 36.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on State Highway 36.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WI 20; WI 83 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 23.9 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WI 20; WI 83 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (US 45; WI 100 / West Saint Martins Road): Navigation decision point; at 17.9 miles (US 45): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Waterford, WI to West Allis, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Madison along the way.
Madison
18.5 mi in
|
~29m
|
via US 45
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 23.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.5 miles on State Highway 36. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WI 20; WI 83 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.3 miles (US 45; WI 100 / West Saint Martins Road): Navigation decision point; at 17.9 miles (US 45): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Allis, WI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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